19 Agustus 2012

Philippines in the Market for ASW Helicopters

MANILA — As
part of its efforts to improve the capabilities of the naval service, the Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced that it will be acquiring four
anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters for the Philippine Navy (PN) within
the period 2013 to 2017.

Col. Arnulfo
M. Burgos, Jr., AFP spokesperson, said the decision to acquire ASW assets for
the PN is part of country's Medium Term Defense Acquisition List for the next
four years.

The ASW
choppers will be assigned to the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar and the soon-to-come
BRP Ramon Alcaraz and hopefully to the two "Maestrale" class
missile-firing frigates from Italy being eyed by the Department of National
Defense (DND) for acquisition by 2013.

Burgos
declined to identify the manufacturer of the proposed ASW helicopters but said
studies are now undergoing to identify the best and most affordable aircraft
for the Philippines.

DND
Secretary Voltaire Gazmin earlier announced that the Philippine Air Force (PAF)
will be getting 10 brand-new units of Eurocopter attack choppers to boost its
fleet.

He added
that this contract is worth P3.2 billion.

Gazmin said
that the DND has already presented it to the government policy and procurement
board for evaluation.

This was
after the defense department recommended acquisition approval for the above-mentioned
helicopters.

And should
the contract be signed anytime this August, the DND chief said that the first
four units will be delivered within the year.

"All
these choppers are brandnew and fitted with weapons, navigation and sensor
equipment," Gazmin stressed.

The body of
the Eurocopter is made from 80 percent carbon fiber reinforced polymer and
kevlar, 11 percent aluminum, and six percent titanium.

The rotors
are made from fiber-plastic able to withstand combat damage and bird strikes.

Protection against
lightning and electromagnetic pulse is ensured by embedded copper/bronze grid
and copper bonding foil.

Eurocopter's
armor can withstand 23 mm autocannon fire.

The
helicopter can be equipped with a variety of air-to-ground weapons, rockets,
and even air-to-air missiles and state-of-the-art sensor and navigation
systems. (PNA)